Thursday, July 16, 2009

The President's 2010 Budget provides $475 million in the Environmental Protection Agency's budget for a new interagency Great Lakes restoration initiative, which will target the most significant problems in the region, including invasive aquatic species, non-point source pollution, and contaminated sediment.

This initiative will use outcome-oriented performance goals and measures to target the most significant problems and track progress in addressing them. EPA and its Federal partners will coordinate State, tribal, local, and industry actions to protect, maintain, and restore the chemical, biological, and physical integrity of the Great Lakes.

Early this summer, one or more Requests for Proposals will be announced for competitive grants advancing the Initiative, in order that some grants may be issued as early as December. A series of stakeholder meetings, open to the public, will be held in July and August 2009 in various Great Lakes locations.

The one in Milwaukee will be held on Tuesday, July 21st from 5-7pm at Doubletree Hotel Milwaukee City CenterWisconsin Room611 W. Wisconsin AvenueMilwaukee, WI 53203

To learn more about the Initiative and meetings in your area, go to EPA.